Hard Labor + Modern Technology = Long Distance Daddy

Ok, so a week has past since Lincoln arrived. The story of his birth and the events that occured were chronicled by my mother on camera. I've wanted to share the details of the birth for a week now but every time I try to blog, someone's hungry. I'm happy to have accquired a new title as milk maid




I had a doctors appointment at 830 on tuesday morning and I went in with my bags packed, I was banking on him keeping and admiting me. I was already at 5cm and I told him I was ready to do this today! I checked into the hospital about 930am.





I had pre-arranged with Jason that today may possibly be the day and was expecting his call at anytime. We had also arranged for him to go to someone's room who has internet access for him to be able to be on webcam. We hadn't seen Jason in 6 weeks and we didnt' know what type of connection we would get from there. I was ready with all my mondern technology....cell phone, check, laptop, check! All the essentials for having a baby!




HE CALLED! He was excited and maybe a little nervous. He waited and rode a bus across the base to the room where he would watch his second child born from a world away.



Me and my birthing coach (aka the sister). She and Mom really came through for me during the tough points of labor.


The contractions were getting stronger and were about 1-2 minutes apart.


At 12:20 we called for the epidural! I wasn't in immense pain...YET but he said when I was uncomfortable to call him.


Jackson came in to visit me and as I imagined, he had A LOT of questions. What's that on your arm? (IV), Why do you need medicine? Are you sick? Where's the baby? When can I see him? Can I be rough with you yet?


We're in full swing contractions and as I had feared, the epidural wasn't working. It was the ONE thing that made me know I could handle this labor and it wasn't working on one side. At 2:05 they had done all they knew to do and called the doctor back up to check on it. I was having to do all the breathing techniques that you've read about, none of which I had to do with Jackson. It was defining LABOR and I didn't like it.


Connected! It was so good to see Jason for the first time in 6 weeks. This deployment left us both in a bit of a whirlwind so close on the heels of his last deployment. I had missed talking to him face to face. It was long after midnight there and he was in a room with about 6 other guys trying to sleep while he was helplessly trying to coach me through some HARD contractions.


Soon after we made the connection, Tracie had to take over the typing because I was concentrating on OTHER things! I hated I hadn't been able to talk to him more but without the epidural, I was basically going all natural and that was NOT in my birthing plan.


After another failed attempt to make the epidural work, the Doctor finally arrives but has ANOTHER delivery to attend to. During that time, the nurse announces that I'm fully dilated and ready to have this baby! The Doctor shows up and 3 pushes later, Lincoln is born! That was actually the EASIEST part of the last 2 hours!




I finally get to hold my baby! It's amazing after waiting 9 LONG months for this moment! He was just perfect. He even made sure to wet the doctor AND the nurses right after he was born.





Now THIS is the person I could NOT have done without. She is a great encourager and besides, she's done this twice before so she's got experience. I couldn't ask for better help with the baby then or now that we are home. I'm lucky to have her AND to have her off work for the summer! How convenient!


I introduced Jackson to his baby brother Lincoln. He said is was HIS baby, and that he would still be MY baby.



Jackson LOVES to hold his little brother, he looks like he's saying, "What do I do with him if he cries?" He thinks if he kisses him, it'll make him All better.



Lincoln Rex deFoor, born at 3:33 pm weighing 6lbs 15oz and 20 1/4 inches long.


Ten perfect little toes! What a wonderful gift from God!


The best soggy chicken salad sandwich I've ever tasted! That didn't change, I was hungry after Jackson and I was starving after Lincoln. Food after hard labor is GOOD!!!
(By the way, some people commented and I TOTALLY planned the makeup and earrings that morning...I KNEW there would be a photographer in the room and there's no reason to not look your best, besides, I wanted Linc to think his mommy was pretty!)



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